Position:
Partner

Born:
Laurel, Mississippi – June 28, 1971

Admitted to Bar:

Senator McDaniel’s journey in law began with his admittance to the Mississippi Bar in 1997, marking the start of a career characterized by excellence and a commitment to justice. His legal qualifications extend beyond Mississippi, with admissions to practice in the State of Texas since 2010 and a recent admission (pending as of 2024) to the State of Arkansas. His prowess is recognized at the federal level, with permissions to practice in U.S. District Courts, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

Notable Distinctions: 

Senator McDaniel’s tenure as a Mississippi Senator spans an impressive sixteen years. During this time, he has been a prolific lawmaker, authoring or co-authoring more than 300 pieces of legislation. His legislative work reflects a deep understanding of the intricacies of law and governance, and his contributions have significantly shaped the legal landscape of Mississippi.

Senator McDaniel’s legal acumen has earned him several accolades. He has been recognized as a Top-50 Lawyer by the Mississippi Business Journal, highlighting his standing in the legal community. His promising career trajectory was acknowledged by Memphis Magazine, naming him a Rising Star and a Top Young Lawyer from 2008-2012. He was selected as a national Super Lawyer in 2024, an honor received by only five percent of attorneys nationwide. Further cementing his professional stature, he was distinguished as a national Lawyer of Distinction, an honor that recognizes excellence in practice.

He has been recognized with the AV Preeminent® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest distinction for legal excellence, awarded based on peer reviews by members of the bar and judiciary. This rating reflects his superior legal knowledge, analytical capabilities, judgment, communication skills, and ethical standards. Additionally, he has earned the Client Champion Platinum Award, which recognizes his exceptional dedication to client service, communication, and delivering outstanding results. These honors reflect both the respect of his peers and the trust and satisfaction of his clients.

Beyond his legislative and legal duties, Senator McDaniel is an active participant in various legal and political organizations. He is an affiliate member and attorney for Liberty Counsel, an organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom and Constitutional originalism. Furthermore, his commitment to conservative legal principles is evident through his memberships in the National Republican Lawyers Association and the Federalist Society. These affiliations underscore his dedication to upholding and advocating for the rule of law and constitutional principles.

Education:

Jones College (A.A., with Honors, 1992); William Carey College (B.S., cum laude, 1994); University of Mississippi (J.D., cum laude, 1997), Phi Delta Phi Honor Society, Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society, All-American Scholar.

Member:

Moot Court Board, 1995-1997; National Moot Court Team, 1997; First Place, Moot Court Board Oral Advocacy Competition, 1996; Finalist, Steen Reynold’s Trial Competition, 1997.

Listed in:

Who’s Who in American Law Schools; Who’s Who in Colleges; All-American Scholar; Staff Member, Journal of National Security Law, 1996-1997; Staff Member, University of Mississippi Moot Court Board.

Recipient:

American Jurisprudence Awards in Constitutional Law, Conflict of Laws, Criminal Procedure and International Law; National Social Science Award. Law Clerk, Judicial Assistant, Hon. Charles W. Pickering, Sr., U.S. District Court Judge, Southern District of Mississippi, 1997-1999.

Author:

“Whether Southern University’s Race-Based Scholarship Program Exclusively for African-American Students Can Be Sustained as a Remedial Measure Under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?” 4 Miss. Rev. First Impress. 1, 1997; Discussion of State Court Class Actions in Mississippi, Regional Bar Meeting Instructional Materials (Jan. 2001) (written for presentation at the South Central Regional Bar Meeting); Co-author, Discussion of Fifth Circuit Class Certification Issues and the Possibility of Pursuing Class Certification in State Court The Mississippi Lawyer (Oct. 2000) (written for presentation at the Summer School for Lawyers – July 14, 2000); Contributing Editor, Shapiro, Howard, Terrorism in a Democratic Society, 1 J. Nat. Sec. L. 95 (1997).

Former Employment:

Federal Law Clerk for the Honorable Charles W. Pickering, Sr., United States District Court Judge, Southern District of Mississippi (1997-1999).

Member:

Jones County (Treasurer, 2000-2001) and American Bar Associations; The Mississippi Bar; Hattiesburg Area Young Lawyers Association; Mississippi Claims Association; Jones County Young Lawyers (Vice-President), Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association.

Practice Areas:

General litigation, insurance defense, personal injury, commercial litigation, constitutional law, civil rights, education law, consumer products litigation, mass tort litigation, and complex multi-party litigation.

Biography:

Senator Chris McDaniel received his B.S. degree cum laude, from William Carey College and his J.D. degree cum laude, from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he was a Member of numerous organizations, including the Journal of National Security Law and the Moot Court Board. As a member of the Moot Court Board, he was named Best Oral Advocate in his class and participated on the National Moot Court Team. After law school, he entered a two-year judicial clerkship as a law clerk for the Honorable Charles W. Pickering, Sr., United States District Court Judge, Southern District of Mississippi. He joined the firm as a partner in 2003.

Senator McDaniel has been a conservative leader in our state’s Republican Party. He has served multiple terms on his county’s executive committee and has been named a delegate at the GOP convention. He has received many awards, including the American Conservative Union’s Award of Excellence, and he was named a Champion for Freedom by Americans for Prosperity.

His legislative accomplishments include being named a Business Champion and Legislator of the Year for the MS Law Enforcement Officers Association, MS Highway Patrol, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. In addition.  He has been the author or co-author of hundreds of pieces of legislation signed into law in Mississippi, including the Student Religious Liberties Act, which helps protect a student’s right to pray in school, and Nathan’s Law, the nation’s most comprehensive school bus safety legislation.  At the request of then-Governor Phil Bryant, he also served as the lead attorney for the State of Mississippi in its lawsuit against Obamacare.

Senator McDaniel is routinely considered one of Mississippi’s most principled conservative Senators. Throughout his political career, he has been endorsed by and appeared with notable figures like by Ron Paul, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Laura Ingram, and Donald Trump.

Senator McDaniel has litigated cases throughout the United States.  He is the author of several publications and has presented Continuing Legal Education (CLE) lectures on Mass Tort Litigation and Class Actions. He practices primarily in insurance defense, corporate litigation, personal injury, commercial litigation, consumer products litigation, mass tort litigation, and complex multi-party litigation.

He is a member of the Jones County Bar Association, Fifth Circuit Bar Association, the American Bar Association, The Mississippi Bar Association, the Hattiesburg Area Young Lawyers Association, the Jones County Young Lawyers Association, the Mississippi Claims Association, and the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association.